Drew pivoted and glared at Orias, his face twisted with anger. “Why? Are you worried I’ll spill your secret? That everything will come tumbling out into the open?” Orias froze, and so did Drew. He looked shocked at himself. “I didn’t mean that,” he mumbled. Ashamed. “I would never tell.”
Lucifer was now looking between Orias and Drew. “Tell me what?”
“Nothing,” Drew hastened to say. “Please don’t do this, Lucifer. Please, just let Andras go.”
Kensington shot Zach a worried look, and Zach knew exactly what he was thinking. If Drew continued to demand that Lucifer release Andras, he might become so angry that he refused to allowanyof them to leave. “Drew,” Zach said gently, turning to cup his cheek. “Andras will be okay. Please don’t push this.”
Drew’s eyes were wet with unshed tears. “This is wrong, Zach. Andras doesn’t deserve this.”
“As much as I agree, this is the way things are done here, sweetness. Andras knew that, and yet he still took that dagger.”
Drew closed his eyes, and a tear spilled over his cheek. Then he shook his head. “No. No, I won’t allow it.”
“There’s not much we can do,” Zach told him.
Drew’s eyes snapped open, and Zach was taken aback at the sheer determination in them. “Maybe not, butIcan.” The air around Drew crackled with electricity, and a woven bracelet around his wrist began to smoke. Only seconds later it was aflame, but it wasn’t burning Drew’s skin. It burned until there was nothing left but ashes. And then Zach’s ears popped painfully. He heard Tremblay cry out in pain, and then Drew was calling out, “Leila!”
The familiar appeared out of thin air, landing on Drew’s shoulders, and he reached up to touch her. “Bring him to me,” he told her.
As Leila disappeared, Orias was moving, charging towards Drew. Zach stepped in front of him, but Orias didn’t stop, barrelling into him. Zach pushed back, and they grappled with one another. He heard Kensington shout out a spell, and distantly heard demons banging on the locked doors to the hall.
The urco lunged at Orias, sending him staggering, and Zach used the distraction to take Orias to the floor, getting a knee on his back and pinning him down. He looked up just as Leila popped back into the room, this time accompanied by Andras. The demon looked around with wary eyes, taking in the commotion happening around them. Lucifer had stood from his throne and was stalking down the steps, Tremblay had scurried to the side out of harm’s way, and Cavendish was helping Kensington keep the guards from the room.
“What is the meaning of this?” Lucifer demanded of Drew. His blond hair was blowing in the wind, which had been created by the storm clouds that had gathered on the ceiling.
“I’m sorry, but I won’t let you hurt Andras,” Drew told him. “He’s coming with us.”
“No, he’s not,” Lucifer said, and his hand shot out. Andras cried out as his feet skidded on the floor and he began to move towards Lucifer.
Drew yelled out a spell, the word lost to the noise. Andras staggered to a stop, and then began moving in Drew’s direction. Lucifer snarled and threw a spell at Drew, who yelped as it hit him, breaking his concentration.
“Drew!” Zach cried, and he leapt up to throw himself in front of him, his wings appearing and flaring out protectively.
The urco snarled and lunged at Lucifer, and with a flick of his hand, the prince sent him flying across the room where he hit the wall, hard.
“Cease this before you do something that cannot be undone,” Lucifer warned Drew.
“I won’t allow you to hurt my friend,” Drew said from behind Zach’s spread wings, doubling down.
“You cannot beat me, Drew Phillips.”
“Maybe not, but I’m not alone,” Drew told him.
“Neither is he!” Orias cried. He’d climbed to his feet, ready to jump back into the fray once Zach was distracted. “I will not allow you to harm my . . . what?No!”
Zach wasn’t sure what had grabbed Orias’s attention, but the demon was throwing himself in front of Lucifer. Something glittered as it moved through the air, and then there was a sickeningthudas a dagger embedded itself in his chest. Orias fell to the ground at Lucifer’s feet, and the room fell silent.
Zach turned to see Tremblay crouched down, his arm held out in front of him, his hand now empty. Had he had a dagger on him the entire time? Zach had never seen it. Or had he grabbed it from someone here? Why had he been trying to attack Lucifer? The last he’d seen, the man had been cowering in fear behind a chair.
“Orias?” Lucifer whispered, and he dropped to his kneeson the ground
Orias rolled over, and a dribble of blood spilled from his lips. “Master,” he croaked.
Lucifer’s hands fluttered over the hilt of the dagger, but there was nothing he could do. “It’s going to be okay,” he lied.
Managing a weak laugh, Orias gave a minute shake of his head. “Can’t survive this. True death awaits.” His eyes went hazy, and more blood trickled over his chin. “Master,” he whispered.
“I’m here, Orias. I’m here,” Lucifer assured him, slipping an arm under his shoulder and cradling the demon to his chest.
